The Kopan Valley

Dear respected friends,

It is with great interest and happiness that we write to share this recent news with you.

Globally, the world knows that there is currently a ban on the Buddhist Protector Deity Dorje Shugden. Many people have publicly denounced the practice and have become very harmful, even unkind, towards Shugden practitioners.

Some Lamas have publicly chosen not to continue their practice – this is their prerogative and we do not question the decisions of such highly attained Lamas. However, we strongly disagree with the ways in which their students have launched very hostile, even damaging verbal or physical attacks on Shugden practitioners. This kind of behavior is not at all in accordance with Dharma practice and teaching.

Recently however, we have received very clear information from reliable, trusted sources about an organization returning to the practice of Shugden, even when they have long criticized and put down others for doing so. We are told that when Lama Zopa was very ill about eight months ago, a monk from Kopan Monastery secretly went to Phelgye Ling Monastery (in the Swayambunath area of Kathmandu, Nepal) to request them to do a Dorje Shugden puja for Lama Zopa’s health. Phelgye Ling Monastery is very well known for their preservation of the Shugden practice and lineage, and for this, they have suffered much discrimination and ostracism from the Tibetan Buddhist community in Nepal since the imposition of the ban.

Phelygye Ling Monastery’s senior administrator refused to do the prayers. They have asked: Since Lama Zopa and his group (commonly known as FPMT) are so ‘vehemently’ against Shugden, why do they now come running to request for a Shugden puja once Lama Zopa is sick?

The people from Kopan eventually had the Shugden puja done urgently at another Shugden monastery in Kathmandu (their name has still not yet been disclosed).

The point of this letter is not to disparage Lama Zopa or his organization. We have a lot of respect for Lama Zopa and his lifetime of work to bring Dharma to so many thousands of people. It is our wish to simply point out a few things:

1. The true enlightened, powerful, and beneficial nature of Dorje Shugden – even groups who have turned away from him and become known for putting down the practice, return to Dorje Shugden at their darkest times.
2. The importance of not criticizing any practice – every developed, successful country in the world supports freedom of religion. As Buddhists who support the way of kindness and harmony, we should too. Respect that every Lama will have his reasons for doing, or not doing, a certain practice. If we do not wish for others to criticize or attack our Lamas and practice, then we shouldn’t do it to others.
3. Not being hypocritical in our practice – either you commit to a practice or you don’t. It is not logical to disparage and discount a practice, but then choose to go back to it when times are bad. How can you expect to have results from a practice if you have been doing the opposite all this time before?
4. Keeping clean samaya – A Lama may choose not to continue the practice of Dorje Shugden and advise his students not to do the practice anymore. However, this does not give us any right to disturb or hurt other Lamas and practitioners who do. You may be “keeping your samaya” by following your Lama’s instruction not to practice Shugden. But you break all your other samaya by being unkind, by attacking others, by creating schism with negative talk. No true, qualified, compassionate Lama would endorse or encourage schism or hurting any being in any way. So you must think if your actions towards Shugden practitioners is really Guru devotion, or a justification for accomplishing your own personal agenda?

In hopes of a more tolerant and harmonious Buddhist community and world, we urge you to think carefully about the points we have mentioned. And in particular, to consider the deeper significance of Lama Zopa’s students “returning” to Shugden practice for their Lama’s health.

The fact is: could they have avoided creating the cases for Lama Zopa to fall ill in the first place? They have broken samaya not just with their lineage practice (Lama Yeshe, the founder of FPMT was a very ardent Shugden practitioner) but also with their teacher for acting in such unkindly ways. Why only panic now – and “return” to a lineage practice – when their Lama is ill?

Yours, in hopes of a better future,

DorjeShugden.com | DorjeShugden.net | xiongdeng.com

For further reading:

Where is Lama Yeshe? (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/where-is-lama-yeshe/)

FPMT Lineage Masters are Dorje Shugden Believers (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/fpmt-lineage-masters-are-believers-of-dorje-shugden/)

FPMT, Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/fpmt-dalai-lama-and-dorje-shugden/)

A True Inspiration: Claudio Cipullo (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/a-true-inspiration-claudio-cipullo/)

Fabrizio Pallotti (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/fabrizio-pallotti/)

Politically Correct at the Expense of the Lineage (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/politically-correct-at-the-expense-of-the-lineage/)

Lama Yeshe and Geshe Rabten (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/mail-out/lama-yeshe-and-geshe-rabten/)

The Broken Samayas of FPMT (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-broken-samayas-of-fpmt/)

The Questionable Policies of the FPMT (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-questionable-policies-of-the-fpmt/)

Lama Zopa admitted to being recognized by Dorje Shugden (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/others-old/lama-zopa-admitted-to-being-recognized-by-dorje-shugden/)

Recognized by Dorje Shugden, but Speaks against Dorje Shugden (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/recognized-by-dorje-shugden-but-speaks-against-dorje-shugden/)

Dakini Healed Lama Zopa? (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/dakini-healed-lama-zopa/)

Who made Lama Zopa a Rinpoche? (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/who-made-lama-zopa-a-rinpoche/)

A Tribute to Ven. Lama Yeshe Rinpoche (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/great-masters/a-tribute-to-ven-lama-yeshe-rinpoche/)

Dorje Shugden’s practice initially began in the Sakya school when the “spirit” of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen first travelled there after failing to enter Tashi Lhumpo to meet his Guru.

One of Dorje Shugden’s previous incarnations was as Sakya Pandita. As such the Sakya patriarch at that time, Dagchen Dorje Chang Sonam Rinchen accepted him and officially enthroned him as a Dharma Protector. Then, Kunkhyen Ngawang Kunga Lodroe composed a praise that became the start of his practice in the Sakya School.

Meanwhile, the Fifth Dalai Lama and many other high Lamas tried to destroy him with various wrathful rituals but all their attempts failed. This appeared to be a deliberate attempt on the part of the Dalai Lama to publicly prove the indestructible nature of Dorje Shugden.

Eventually, realizing that Dorje Shugden had, in fact, arisen as a Protector and not as a spirit, the Fifth Dalai Lama composed a praise of Dorje Shugden and even crafted a statue of him with his very own hands.

This statue was made by the 5th Dalai Lama himself. It is still venerated daily in Phelgyeling Monastery, Nepal.

He entrusted this statue and practice to Phelgyeling Monastery, which then installed Dorje Shugden as its main Protector. Elders of the monastery today say that the practice became so widespread that even Nyingmapas of their area in Tibet practiced Dorje Shugden.

The Great Fifth Dalai Lama also built the first tsen khang, Protector chapel, of Dorje Shugden in Lhasa. This temple still stands in Lhasa today and is a popular pilgrimage site for devotees of Dorje Shugden from all over the world. In its earlier days, the chapel was placed under the care of Riwo Choling, a Gelug monastery – this became the first link for Dorje Shugden’s practice to enter the Gelug tradition.

His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso

The Great 5th Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617–1682) was a contemporary of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen (1619–1656), the previous incarnation of Dorje Shugden. Both these high lamas were disciples of His Holiness the 4th Panchen Lama Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen. Following the murder of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen at the hands of the Dalai Lama’s jealous disciples, many inauspicious events and signs occurred due to the heavy negative karma of killing such a great Bodhisattva. The calamities that befell the area of Lhasa centered primarily around the residence of the Dalai Lama himself.

Initially however, blame for these inauspicious events was wrongly placed on Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen, rather than the negative karma accumulated from his murder. It was thought at the time that he had arisen as a raging spirit, but he had in fact arisen as the Protector Dorje Shugden. Consequently, the 5th Dalai Lama requested the assistance of a number of high lamas. These included the likes of Mindrolling Terchen from the Nyingma tradition and other high lamas of that time who were known to be experts in esoteric subjugation rituals. Their aim was to subdue the spirit that they thought Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen had become. They engaged in extremely powerful fire pujas but they were unsuccessful as during the rituals the lamas were distracted by various visions manifested by the Protector Setrab and a vision of Dorje Shugden arising as Yamantaka. This was all reported back to the 5th Dalai Lama who then realized that Dorje Shugden was not a spirit but an emanation of Manjushri.

Dorje Shugden statue at Phelgyeling Monastery, Nepal, made by the 5th Dalai Lama. Click to enlarge.

It was then that the Great 5th Dalai Lama subsequently enthroned Dorje Shugden as a Dharma Protector, after which the calamities ceased. The 5th Dalai Lama composed a short praise of Dorje Shugden describing his appearance in accordance to his vision of him. He knew that Dorje Shugden has the power and ability to help many beings and grant them his protection and assistance. This prayer can be recited by anyone to call upon this supreme Dharma Protector. He also established the Trode Khangsar Protector Chapel in Lhasa as the main shrine to Dorje Shugden and assigned Dorje Shugden as the Dharma Protector of Phelgyeling Monastery. He gave this monastery a statue that he made with his own hands. Thus, Dorje Shugden’s practice within the Gelug tradition arose under the sacred auspices of the Great 5th Dalai Lama.

One of the lamas of our recent past, Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, who propagated Dorje Shugden’s practice once wrote:

Even the composition of this short praise and propitiation brought benefit. Thus, although undisputed great Tantric masters tried to subdue him by burning him in the fire through their rituals, his display of miraculous power only grew greater. (from ‘Music Delighting the Oceans of Protectors’, page 105).

As Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang explains, such displays as that of trying unsuccessfully to subdue the Dharma Protector, serve to bring out the greatness in both the Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden who, in the process, showed his true nature as an enlightened being.
 

Prayer to Gyalchen Dorje Shugden by the 5th Dalai Lama

HUM
Though unmoving from the sphere of primordial spontaneity,
With wrathful turbulent power, swifter than lightning,
Endowed with heroic courage to judge good and bad,
I invite you with faith, please come to this place!

Robes of a monk, crown adorned with rhinocerous leather hat,
Right hand holds ornate club, left holds a human heart,
Riding various mounts such as nagas and garudas,
Who subdues the mamo’s of the charnal grounds, praise to you!

Samaya substances, offerings and torma, outer, inner and secret,
Favorite visual offerings and various objects are arranged.
Although, previously, my wishes were a bit dense,
Do not stop your powerful apparitions, I reveal and confess!

Now respectfully praising with body, speech, and mind,
For us, the masters, disciples, benefactors and entourages,
Provide the good and avert the bad!
Bring increase like the waxing moon in spiritual and temporal realms!

Moreover, swiftly accomplishing all wishes,
According to our prayers, bestow the supreme effortlessly!
And like the jewel that bestows all wishes,
Always protect us with the Three Jewels!

Prayer in Tibetan

For readers who can understand Tibetan, please see below for a copy of the prayer in its original language.

The prayer to Dorje Shugden composed by the Great 5th Dalai Lama after he realized that Dorje Shugden is an enlightened being. Click to enlarge.